B-50 questions

[PinecastleAAF]

According to Wikipedia:

B-50s were grounded and removed completely from inventory when wreckage of a KB-50 that broke up in flight in 1965 revealed corrosion problems in the fleet.

Were these wing problems? Did the C-97's have the same corrosion issues or were they better because of different heat treating methods post war?

Also did only some of the B-50's have the two jet engines outboard?

Thanks!

[Second Air Force]

A few years ago I was researching the B-50 fleet and why so few remain. The last unit to be equipped with them (WB or RB-50s if I recall) based in Japan scrapped them on-site rather than risk ferrying them to the CONUS. The reason given was advanced corrosion in the wing structure. I'd imagine there was a learning curve with the use of advanced alloys in the B-50--there was a lot of 75ST aluminum in the wings, a breakthrough of sorts in aircraft construction at the time.

Only the KB-50J and K got the jet pods, and that was only to up the performance for refueling the new jets coming on-line at the time.

Scott

[PinecastleAAF]

Thanks Scott that is interesting information.

.

[bdk]

75ST (later 7075) is prone to stress corrosion cracking and is no longer commonly used on aircraft in fatigue sensitive assemblies.

<EDIT> To clarify, the later 4-digit tempers are OK.

Last edited by bdk on Mon Jun 23, 2008 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Were these wing problems? Did the C-97's have the same corrosion issues or were they better because of different heat treating methods post war?
Also did only some of the B-50's have the two jet engines outboard?
Thanks!

I don't think that the KC-97s ever had the same corrosion problems that finally grounded the KB-50Js in 1965. I believe that the jet engines removed from many of the KB-50Js ended up on the KC-97Ls which flew into 1978.

[Nathan]

I wish there was a B-50 flying today. But that is never gonna happen.

I wish there was a B-50 flying today. But that is never gonna happen.

Me, TOO, Nathan. But I will settle for getting the C-97 back in the air to hear those R-4360's in action again!

[Nathan]

I wish there was a B-50 flying today. But that is never gonna happen.

Me, TOO, Nathan. But I will settle for getting the C-97 back in the air to hear those R-4360's in action again!

Four R-4360's at full power on take off? Oh, yeah!!

[b29flteng]

B-50 wings were interchangable with KC-97 wings. C-97 s/n 48-399 had a wing burn off in a ground accident and the wing was replaced with a B-50 wing. My dad flew it for several years in the Minnesota Air Guard.

[engguy]

75ST (later 7075) is prone to stress corrosion cracking and is no longer commonly used on aircraft in fatigue sensitive assemblies.

<EDIT> To clarify, the later 4-digit tempers are OK.

Boeing still uses lots of that stuff in aircraft.

[Steve Nelson]

How many structuaral parts from the KC-97 can be used on the B-29? I've often wondered if a few old -97 airframes could help keep Fifi flying.

SN

[Chris Brame]

Here's a couple stills from Tora! Tora! Tora! showing a B-50 minus outer engines and wings in the background:





Looks like they painted it blue to match the PBYs in the second shot.

[Second Air Force]

Amazing, Chris!

I've watched that movie many times and now I have an excuse to watch it again. Are both of the aircraft out there on the apron B-50s, or is the one with the dark forward fuselage a C-97? Seeing the airplane being dismantled seems to verify the story of scrapping them on-site at the time they were grounded due to structural problems.

Scott